Wednesday 27 August 2014 13.32 EDT
First published on Wednesday 27 August 2014 13.32 EDT

Bedfordshire police and crime commissioner Olly Martins has been suspended from the Labour party after the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) referred an investigation into the disclosure of information about a death in custody to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The IPCC announced in February it would investigate leaks about the death in custody of Leon Briggs and said on Wednesday its completed investigation had been passed to prosecutors.

A Labour party spokesman said: "Olly Martins has been suspended from the Labour party."

The IPCC released a statement which said: "The Independent Police Complaints Commission has completed its investigation into the police and crime commissioner for Bedfordshire, Olly Martins, and has passed its report to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

"The CPS will determine whether there is evidence to warrant criminal charges."

Briggs, 39, died on 4 November last year after he was restrained and detained by Bedfordshire police officers and taken to Luton police station. His death is being examined by the IPCC in a separate investigation.

On 13 February, the IPCC said it would examine the unauthorised disclosure of information about the circumstances surrounding the death, adding that Martins had admitted sharing information about the case with a third party, who then disclosed it to others.

Bedfordshire police referred the leak to the IPCC in December last year after it was raised by a member of the public.

An initial investigation by Bedfordshire's Police and Crime Panel resulted in a written warning to Martins, issued at a private meeting in January.

The IPCC decided to launch an independent investigation in February, overseen by IPCC Commissioner James Dipple-Johnstone.

Suspension from the Labour party means Martins is not allowed to participate in meetings or other party activities and will be subject to a disciplinary proceeding run by the party's national executive committee.